Reinildo Impresses as Sunderland Shine in Rennes Friendly

Pre-season friendlies rarely crackle, but this one had a bit of edge. Sunderland’s players are still sharpening up, Rennes were awkward enough opponents, and one left-back in particular played like a man who has absolutely no intention of giving up his shirt.

Roefs calm after early scare – 6/10

Robin Roefs’ afternoon began with a jolt. A wide-open Rennes chance early on really should have tested him, but the shot flew off target and the keeper escaped. From there, he settled.

He was beaten by a superbly struck penalty he had no chance with and, beyond that, faced only a handful of soft efforts. His most eye-catching work came with the ball at his feet, spinning away from the press in the opening stages to set the tone for Sunderland’s build-up.

Hume’s old-school shift, modern finish – 7/10

Trai Hume tucked into a more traditional right-back role. That tweak cost Sunderland a touch of control in the first half, but defensively he did the job asked of him.

Then he did what he’s started to make a habit of: he arrived in the box and scored. From a set piece, Hume passed the ball home from around eight yards, another composed finish to add to his growing tally.

Ballard on the edge – 6/10

Dan Ballard lived on the line between dominant and reckless. He was a constant presence at attacking set plays, getting on the end of several deliveries, and defended strongly for long spells.

But two big lapses stained the performance. First, he surged out of defence, lost the ball, and could only watch as a Rennes lob dropped just wide. Later, he conceded a clumsy penalty. A busy outing, but not a flawless one.

O’Nien cruises, then picks passes – 7/10

For Luke O’Nien, this was close to a comfortable afternoon at the back, though he still had to stay switched on. One dangerous cross flashed into his area and he reacted sharply, heading over from close range to snuff out the danger.

On the ball he was excellent, pinging some sharp passes out of defence. His best contribution came with a brilliant cross that picked out Reinildo, who could only steer wide.

Reinildo roars back at left-back – 8/10 (Man of the Match)

If Dayann Methalie is coming to challenge for that left-back berth, Reinildo’s response was loud and clear. He shut down his flank, reading danger early and timing recovery tackles perfectly whenever Rennes threatened to break through.

He didn’t just lock things up at the back. He surged forward repeatedly, overlapping Chemsdine Talbi to good effect. One powerful effort was deflected wide, he went close from O’Nien’s cross, and later forced an outstanding save from Brice Samba after meeting a Chris Rigg delivery.

No goal, but everything else about his display screamed authority. This was a defender playing like a man determined to keep his place.

Xhaka keeps the rhythm – 7/10

Granit Xhaka did what Granit Xhaka does. From the base of midfield he kept Sunderland ticking, recycling possession, dictating tempo and then, when the gaps appeared, threading a couple of incisive passes that were inches away from putting teammates clean through.

Nothing spectacular, but the control he exerts is becoming a familiar comfort.

Sadiki everywhere – 7/10

Noah Sadiki covered the pitch like it belonged to him. He dropped in to plug gaps defensively, then sprang up the left side whenever space opened.

It was the sort of all-action, selfless performance Sunderland have come to expect: not flashy, but vital in holding the structure together.

Talbi direct but restrained – 6/10

Chemsdine Talbi offered some sharp bursts down the left, always looking to deliver early. He consistently chose the cross rather than taking defenders on one-v-one, which kept Rennes pinned back but left you wondering what might have happened had he backed himself more often.

Still, his movement created lanes for the overlapping Reinildo to attack.

Le Fee everywhere you looked – 7/10

Enzo Le Fee drifted into pockets all over the pitch, constantly presenting himself as an option. His movement and sharp turns dragged Rennes around and opened seams in their shape.

A few of his runs sliced right through midfield and caused real problems, giving Sunderland a different kind of creativity between the lines.

Angulo bright but wasteful – 6/10

Nilson Angulo flickered on and off. When he got going down the right, he looked a real threat and worked hard without the ball. His pressing and tracking were on point.

But he repeatedly strayed offside, especially after some well-hit diagonals found him in promising positions. The runs were good, the timing less so.

Brobbey bullies his way to a goal – 7/10

Brian Brobbey gave the visiting defence a rough afternoon. He threw his weight around, occupied centre-backs and refused to give them a moment’s peace.

His goal summed him up. He darted in behind, saw his first effort saved, then simply outmuscled the defender, brushed him aside and slid the rebound home. Persistence and power, rewarded.

Bench impact

• Romaine Mundle – 7/10
  Romaine Mundle looked like a different player after coming on. Whether it’s the new contract talk or just confidence kicking in, he played with real swagger.
• Chris Rigg – 7/10
  Chris Rigg shone again. Physically he looks far more ready this summer, and his impact was instant. He whipped in a quality cross that Reinildo met, only for Samba to deny what would have been a fine assist.
• Habib Diarra – 6/10
  Habib Diarra slotted in alongside Xhaka and mirrored much of Sadiki’s earlier work. He covered ground, kept things tidy and offered balance without grabbing the headlines.
• Wilson Isidor – 6/10
  Wilson Isidor lived on the shoulder of the last defender, constantly threatening the space in behind. His movement dragged markers away and opened room for others, even if he didn’t get the big chance himself.
• Jocelin Ta Bi – 6/10
  Jocelin Ta Bi produced a few eye-catching dribbles down the right, gliding past opponents with the ball seemingly glued to his boots. It was a brief cameo, but one that hinted at real close-control ability.

On a day when several Sunderland players sharpened their tools, it was Reinildo who left the clearest message: competition is coming, but he is not stepping aside.